The Matariki holiday on Friday has been used as the reason to move two of the premier grade club rugby games to Thursday night.
Marist will host the Eastern Northern Barbarians at 7pm, while the Blues and Woodlands game kicks off at Les George Oval at 7.30pm.
Pirates Old Boys and Star will play at Oreti Park on Saturday at 3pm to finish the round-robin phase of the premier competition.
The division two quarterfinals will also be played on Saturday afternoon. The top qualifiers Riverton will start hot favourites against Bush Pirates, while Waikiwi will be confident of winning on their home ground against Mataura.
Midlands should put an end to the Otautau Ohai Nightcaps season in Winton, while Mossburn could pull off an upset against Wakatipu B in Queenstown.
Last Saturday Woodlands caused an upset in the penultimate round of the premier competition when they beat Pirates Old Boys 35-33.
Woodlands had already secured the fourth spot for the semifinals but this was a much needed confidence boost at the business end of the season. The Cosie Cup was won, the memorial trophy in the name of Paul Cosgrove.
Promising Woodlands’ teenaged flankers Justin Shaw and Gregor Rutledge got to play alongside reigning Stags player of the year Blair Ryall at No 8.
Rutledge’s father Jason was playing prop on Saturday, while the team was without front-liners Joe Walsh and Paula Latu. Woodlands had some quality front row back-up on the reserve bench in former Stags captain Jamie McIntosh.
Woodlands scored a converted try just before halftime to lead 21-19. The competition’s best midfielder Jaye Thompson scored a converted try for Old Boys after the break but Woodlands regained the lead with a try under the posts.
Old Boys impact prop Levi Gage barged over for another converted try that had the favourites in front 33-28 but Woodlands scored a converted try on full time to take the win and the Cosie Cup.
Another match of equal interest on Saturday was between the top of the table Star and the Eastern Northern Barbarians in Gore. The Barbarians had a full-strength squad for the first time this year and won the match 36-32.
The Barbarians had played some good footy in the first half and led 26-10 at the break; Star’s try had come from an intercept so the locals were feeling in charge.
Star got back to 26-22 before the Barbarians scored a converted try and a penalty goal to lead 36-22.
The Barbarians were penalised off the park in the last 20 minutes and were forced on to constant defence. Openside Leroy Ferguson was up for the challenge as was prop Morgan Mitchell.
Coach Bretton Taylor was pretty happy with how his boys went.
"They were physical on attack and defence, our new halfback Connor Collins was very good and scored two tries. He’s a good guy too, a great pick up for Southland."
Midfielder Angus Simmers played another solid game and left wing Josefa Boletakibureta was man of the match.
In the third game Marist earned a 34-24 win over Blues. Marist started best but Blues closed the margin to 19-17 at halftime. Blues was still within range when trailing 24-17 with 15 minutes still to play. Marist was able to kick a penalty goal and score a converted try in the closing stages to earn their second win in a row.
- By John Langford
Results
Division One: Waikaka/Riversdale Vikings 34, Pioneer 16; Albion 22, Te Anau 12; Wyndham 29, Tokanui 21.
Division Two: Mossburn 34, Bush Pirates 12; Riverton 48, Wakatipu 7; Waikiwi 54, Ohai-Nightcaps-Otautau 10; Drummond-Limehills-Star 22, Collegiate 10; Mataura 21, Waiau Star 12.
Senior B: Pirates-Old Boys B 17, Woodlands B 14; Blues B 41, Marist B 25; Bluff 48, Star B 7.
Women: Pioneer 33, Midlands 25; Albion 27, Star 22; Blues 20, Wakatipu 14.
